July 2019

On July 23, 2019 a jury convicted Alphonzo McInnis of kidnapping for the purposes of sexual assault, 3 counts of forcible rape of a minor, as well as enhancements for aggravated kidnapping of a minor during the course of a sexual assault. The jury hung 11-1 for guilt on the charge that he kidnapped a second victim for the purposes of sexual assault.

On July 19, 2019 a jury convicted Antonio Vanegas of 9 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 and one count of a forcible lewd acts on a child under 14. The defendant sexually assaulted the young victim on a regular basis when she was between 10 and 13 years old.

On July 3, 2019, a jury convicted defendant Anthony Burton of two counts of attempted murder, domestic battery, two counts of assault with a firearm, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On July 3, 2019, a jury convicted co-defendants Damarie Jones and John Blacknell of first degree murder. The jury found defendant Blacknell personally discharged a firearm causing death and that he possessed an unregistered, loaded firearm. On April 3, 2016, the defendants robbed victim Jaccare Vanpelt. The incident occurred in the 6000 block of Idaho Street in Oakland. While both defendants struggled with the victim, a Good Samaritan attempted to intervene. When the Good Samaritan threatened to call the police, defendant Blacknell pulled out a gun and shot Mr. Vanpelt six times in the back. The defendants fled the scene together. The Oakland Police Department Criminalistics Laboratory discovered defendant Jones DNA on the victim’s fingernail clippings. Oakland Police Department Investigators collected evidence from cell phones to corroborate witness identifications and the scientific evidence. DDA Timothy Wagstaffe prosecuted the case along with the assistance of Inspector Tom Milner and Victim-Witness Advocate Stephanie Lynch.